A low pressure area (LPA) monitored in the east of Batanes has developed into a tropical depression locally named as ‘Julian’ with tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1 potentially raised over portions of Cagayan Valley.
As of 5:00 AM on Friday, state weather bureau PAGASA attributed the heavy rainfall outlook to tropical depression ‘Julian,’ which is expected to bring strong to gale-force gusts over coastal and upland areas exposed to winds including Aurora, Quezon, and Bicol Region.
The weather disturbance was monitored moving south southwestward at 15 kilometers per hour with maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 70 km/h. The eye of the storm was estimated at 525 kms east of Itbayat, Batanes.
‘Julian’ is forecast to move south southwestward today while decelerating, then move slowly westward tomorrow (28 September) and northwestward on Sunday (29 September), before accelerating generally northward on Monday (30 September) and Tuesday (01 October).
On the forecast track, Julian will follow a looping path over the waters east of Batanes and Cagayan in the next five days.
PAGASA said ‘Julian’ will continuously intensify throughout the forecast period and may reach tropical storm category tonight or tomorrow morning, severe tropical storm by Sunday, and typhoon by Tuesday.
